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Japanese authorities have found it necessary to prohibit the Japanese in that region from publishing references to the police question rather shows that the question is still considered acute. Indeed, it is now affirmed that encounters between Chinese and Japanese are by no means infrequent, and that on the 5th April at Chikwanshan a policeman was killed in one of these struggles. The Japanese newspapers allege that despite the fact that the matter is supposed to be still under negotiation, the Chinese authorities recently dispatched more than 400 policemen of a semi-military character and distributed them on duty at all the stations, while the construction of permanent establishments is being expedited. Liang Shih-yi, director-general of railways, is away in the south of China, ostensibly sent to examine into the state of the Canton- Kowloon Railway. Many papers, however, affirm that his retirement is imminent owing to his unpopularity with Hsu Shih Ch'ang, the president of the Board of Communications.
The Imperial Maritime Customs.
The "Peking Daily News," on the appointment of Mr. Aglen as acting inspector- general, seized the opportunity to inveigh against the unfair treatment meted out in the past to the Chinese staff of the Customs. They allege, for instance, that the Chinese staff never really had their salaries increased up to 50 per cent, as was sanctioned by the Throne in 1898, while the salaries of the foreign staff were, on the other hand, increased in July 1898 by 100 per cent. A further complaint is made that the Chinese members of the indoor staff are not given the same allowances as their foreign colleagues, and again that they are not given sufficiently responsible work, in spite of the fact that in February 1907 Sir Robert Hart issued a circular instructing the various commissioners to give them a larger share of the work hitherto confided to the foreign members of the service.
The Anti-Opium Campaign.
It is stated that Prince Kung, commissioner for the suppression of opium, intends shortly to visit the different provinces personally in order to investigate the results of opium suppression. He will take steps to examine strictly officials who are suspected of having the opium habit, to inspect all those places where opium cultiva- tion has been reported as having totally ceased, and to inquire into the methods and results of suppressing the opium-smoking habit in the different localities. The Prince Regent, however, though approving of the project, considered that the expenses of such a journey would be too great, and he decided that several competent officials should be sent instead to different provinces to make a careful investigation, and that after their reports had been submitted Prince Kung should then select one or two provinces for reinvestigating by himself.
Currency.
The Board of Finance is said to have practically completed its enquiry into the currency question. Duke Tsai Tse proposes to base the new currency of China on that of Japan, with the tacl as the unit. The new coins are, according to this proposal, to consist of 50-tael, 20-tael, 10-tael, 5-tael, and 1-tael gold pieces, 1-tael, 5-mace, 2-mace, and 1-mace silver pieces, and 50-candareen, 20, 5, 2, and 1-caudareen pieces.
Chinese Students abroad marrying Foreigners.
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The official "Gazette
of the 38th contains a Memorial from the Board of Education sanctioned by the Throne prohibiting Chinese students abroad from contracting marriages with foreigners during their term of study. The board points out that such marriages distract the student's attention from his studies, and that the foreigner having expensive tastes wastes too much of the student's money. Any student failing to comply with the terms of this memorial will be unable to secure a certificate at the end of his period of study.
Abolishing of the Queue.
The "Peking Daily News" in a leading article enumerated the many objections to the wearing of the queue, and urges the abandonment of the practice. It points out that public opinion is now being moulded against the queue, and finds expression in
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public documents advocating its abolishment. Many memorials have recently been presented praying that an edict may be issued abolishing the queue. It is rumoured also that the Prince Regent has several times been urged by his brothers, Princes Tsai Hsun and Tsai Tao, to take this step, and that he has given a promise to consider the position. Rumour further has it that a decree will be issued in the return of Prince Tsai Tao. The paper adds that it is a significant fact that nineteen ont of the twenty members of Prince Tsai Tao's suite are minus the queue.
Foreign Advisers.
The same paper in another leading article discusses the question of the advisability or not of employing foreign advisers, and sums up strongly against the practice. It proceeds to point out that, on account of the existence of extra- territoriality, China is unable to exercise full control over her foreign employés, and thus cannot punish them in case of a breach of trust. But after all, the writer continues, the most serious objection is that the employment of foreign advisers, instead of helping to solve diplomatic questions, only serves to create new ones. As, for instance, the appointment of the inspector-general of the Imperial Maritime Customs; at first he was only an ordinary foreign employé, then his removal or retirement became gradually an important international question. The paper concludes by stating that the case of Sir Robert Hart should be sufficient warning for China to refrain from employing foreign advisers.
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